Rahul has the strength to defeat Modi: Stalin

Strongly defending his move proposing Rahul Gandhi for Prime Ministership, DMK President M K Stalin on Tuesday said the Congress President has the “strength” to defeat the Narendra Modi government and appealed to the Opposition parties to rally behind him.

Gandhi as Congress President breached the BJP fort in the Hindi heartland of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh by installing his party government, Stalin said, giving reasons for his proclamation on Sunday that the DMK wants to overthrow the Modi government and install the young Nehru-Gandhi scion as Prime Minister.

“I nominated Rahul Gandhi for the post of Prime Ministership since I felt that would be the right way to unite secular forces. It is necessary to strengthen the hands of Rahul Gandhi if we must release the country from the clutches of the communal forces. And my proposal was to provide a stable leadership to the forces that are out to defeat the fascist government,” Stalin said in a statement.

The DMK President’s four-page statement in which he has explained in detail about the unveiling of his father M Karunanidhi’s statue and why he proposed Gandhi’s name for the top post comes a day after many Opposition parties wanting to leave the question of leadership until after elections.

“As the son of my father Karunanidhi, I propose that we will install a new Prime Minister in Delhi. I propose the candidature of Rahul Gandhi from Tamil Nadu. Rahul Gandhi has the ability to defeat the fascist and Nazist Modi government. We will work to strengthen the hands of Rahul Gandhi,” Stalin said on Sunday.

In the statement on Tuesday, Stalin referred to the discussion among Opposition parties on the issue of leadership. “There may be discussions among Opposition parties on this issue at present. Discussion and dialogue is the only way forward in a democracy and maybe this dialogue might result in good things,” Stalin said.

Stalin also thanked Rahul Gandhi for attending the state unveiling event even as his name did not figure in the invitation. “The Congress President was pre-engaged on Sunday, but still he made it to the event due to his love for Kalaignar (Karunanidhi),” Stalin said.